Creating a web store using manufacturing data

• US 8,253,727 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schwartz, Robyn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Broome, Said
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAU, JANICE W
• Application Number:
  US12/048,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

A three dimensional web store having product images is created. Three dimensional product images are rendered from manufacturing information instead of the products themselves. The location of all products, advertisements, aisles, signs, and displays is determined for a real world store. The web store is then created using three dimensional internet or virtual world viewing and maneuvering capabilities, to appear identical to the real world store.

Claims

1. A computer program product for instructing a processor to create a web store, said computer program product comprising:

A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions recorded thereon;

first program instruction means for determining a location of each product, aisle, advertisement, sign and display within a real world store by reading data from RFID tags attached thereto or by processing data from a video camera;

second program instruction means for collecting information about each said advertisement, sign and display within said real world store;

third program instruction means for receiving manufacturing information for fabricating each said product such manufacturing information having been created before real product is fabricated and without having said product physically available as a model for capturing video or still images of said product, said manufacturing information is continuously received, and product image is continuously rendered;

fourth program instruction means for rendering a respective three dimensional product image for each said product solely from said manufacturing information; and

fifth program instruction means for creating a web store using three dimensional internet or virtual world maneuverability, with images of each said aisle, said advertisement, said sign, and said display positioned at said determined location, and with each said respective product image positioned at a respective determined location within said real store; and

wherein all said program instruction means are recorded on said medium.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said location is determined using radio frequency identification tag technology or video camera technology or combinations thereof.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said location is continuously determined, said information is continuously collected, said manufacturing information is continuously received, said product image is continuously rendered, and said web store is continuously recreated to have images of each said aisle, advertisement, sign display and product positioned at a respective determined location within said real world store.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising program instruction means for creating an additional area in said web store having images of products not available in said real world store.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said maneuverability includes capability for moving through said web store using a third person view.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said third person view is an avatar.

7. A method of deploying a web store to a client, comprising the steps of:

providing a general purpose computing system having an RFID reader and a video camera attached thereto;

determining a location of each product, aisle, advertisement, sign and display within a real world store of a client company by reading RFID tags attached to said each product, aisle, advertisement, sign and display within said real world store;

collecting information about each said advertisement, sign and display within said real world store by reading said RFID tags;

receiving by said general purpose computing system, manufacturing information for fabricating each said product such manufacturing information having been created before real product is fabricated and without having said product physically available as a model, said manufacturing information is continuously received, and product image is continuously rendered;

rendering by said general purpose computing system solely from said manufacturing information, a respective three dimensional product image for each said product from said manufacturing information;

creating a web store on said general purpose computing systems using three dimensional internet or virtual world maneuverability, with images of each said aisle, said advertisement, said sign, and said display positioned at said determined location, and with each said respective product image positioned at a respective determined location within said real store; and

deploying said web store to said client company.